Wire-stretcher



A. AQHAN'SEN. WIRE snmcusn.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- I918.

1,325,090.- Patented Dec. 16,1919.

AARON A. HANSEN, OF 'REXBURG, IDAE-IO.

VJIRE-STRETCH'ER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed September 7, 1918. Serial No. 253,018.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Annex A. Hansen. a citizen of the United States. residing at Rexburg, in the county of Madison and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to wire stretchers, and the primary object thereof is to provide a wire stretcher of the tackle block type which will stretch the wire to a point beyond the fence post to which it is to be attached.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of this type which will include a wire ripping frame and means for supporting the frame in proper relation to a fence post and moving the same relative to the post in a direction to stretch the wire to a point beyond the post.

A still urther object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher including a frame constructed in such manner that the wire stretcher may be readily removed from the post after the wire has be stretcned and stapled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the followin description and drawings wherein I have illustrated the invention in its preferred embodiment and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved stretcher as applied to a post.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken through the wire stretcher on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the wire gripping frame, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the wire gripping frame.

The wire stretcher comprises a frame including spaced upper and lower parallel bars 1 and 2 connected at their rear ends as indicated at 3 and extended to provide a supporting arm 4, the purpose of which will be later set forth. The upper bar 1 is of greater length than the lower bar 2 and has its forward end curved downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 5 and terminat ing in spaced relation to the forward end of the bar 2 and on the same plane therewith.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 5, the reversely curved end of the bar 1 is recessed as indicated at 6 and is cut out to provide housing 7 having its forward end opening into the recess. Within this housing is mounted a sliding latch 8 engaged by a spring 9 the latter being confined between the closed end of the housing and the adj a cent end of the latch. This latch is provided with an operating knob 10 which extends through a slot 11 formed in the bottom wall of the housing 7 and enables the latch to be retracted against the tension of the spring 9. The space between the free ends of the bars 1 and 2 is bridged by a swinging member 12 having one end thereof pivotally secured to the bar 2 as indicated at 13 and having thcoppositeend thereof notched as indicated at 14E and adapted to be received within the recess 6. The latch 8 projects into the recess 14 to hold the member 12 against swinging movement within the recess 6.

To provide for attaching the frame just described to a fence post and operating the same I have provided a pair of pulley blocks 15 and 16 mounting pulleys 17 over which is trained an operating cable 18. The pulley block 16 at the rear end of the frame is provided with a hook 19 which is engaged in an eye 20 formed-in one end of a cross piece 21 carried by the end of the arm a of the frame. To support the pulley block 15, I provide a pair of clamping plates 22 which engage opposite sides of the frame nd are bolted together by the fastening bolts 23 passing through the plates above and below the frame. Supported between these plates and arranged between the bars 1 and 2 of the frame are upper and lower rollers 24: which engage the bars 1 and 2 as shown in Fig. 3 to support the frame for sliding movement relative to the plates 22.

One of the plates 22 is provided with an ex-- tension 25 upon which supports an eye member 26 carried by the pulley block 15. A second clamping plate 27 is engaged upon this eye member and is bolted to the exten sion 25 by the bolt 28. Beyond the extension 25, the eye member 26 is formed with an integral post engaging member 29 having a hook 30 formed thereon. secured at one end to this member is adapted to be passed around the post 32 and has its free end secured to the hook 30.

To provide for the attachment of the wire to be stretched, the reversely curved end of the bar 1 of the clamping frame is equipped with wire clamping means consisting of the raised lug 33 and a cam lever 34 pivoted to A chain 31- the frame in proximity to said. lug and adapted for clamping cooperation therewith. The cross piece 11 carried by the arm d is provided opposite the eye 19 with a second eye 35. This eye is split as shown in Fi 4 and the aperture thus formed is bridged by a spring latch 35 forming in effect a snap hook to retaln the wire to be stretched within the eye.

in the use of my invention, the chain 31 is passed around the post and secured to the hook 19. The wire to be stretched is then inserted in the eye and is guided therein. The wire is then carried forwardly and clamped by means of the lever at the forward end of the fran'ie. lhc free end of the operating cable 18 is grasped as shown in Fig. 1 and pulled toward the arm 4 of the frame. This will cause the pulley block 16 to move toward the stationary puiley block 15 and will force the frame forwardly in a direction to stretch the wire to a point beyond the post 32.

During sliding movement thereof, the upper and lower bars 1 and 2 of the frame are supported and guided by the rollers se cured between the plates 22 and It will be noted from the foregoing de scription that the stret-c icr frame is positioned to extend past the front side of the post as shown in Figs. 1 and :2 and that this frame is substantially rectangular and hollow as illustrated in Fig. l. The str nd of wire to be stretched is brought past the outer side of the stretcher frame. Howe *er, the means for moving this stretcher frame is positioned upon the inner side thereof and in direct alinement with the post so that the stress of stretching will be dir upon the post and will not present an o renter pull. upon the stretching frame, whereby as the stretching means is actuated, the frame may be easily moved past the post. However, when the wire is in a taut condition it is tacked to the post and for this reason the frame will in a sense he threaded noon this strand of wire. It is L I 1 necessary therefor to only drop the swn ng member 12 which will open one side of the stretching frame and allow the frame to be lifted off of the stretched strand of wire. hen this swinging member is in a closed position however, it reinforces the lower part of the stretching frame.

The foregoing description anl accompanying drawings have reference to what might be considered to be the preferred or approved form of my invention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to so cure by Letters Patent, is

l. in a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting means adapted to be supported in direct alinement with a post, a frame slidable upon said supporting means and passing the post, means connected to said supporting means and said frame for sliding the frame, wire attaching means carried upon the forward side of said frame, and a swinging connection carried by said frame, wh reby the frame may be lifted from a strand of wire which has been stretched thereby.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame having wire securing means on the forward side thereof, said frame including upper and lower horizontal bars, a section pivotally mounted upon the lower bar, latch means releasably holding said section parallel to the remaining bar, a supporting means and adapted to be supported in direct alinement with a post, said frame being slidable upon the supporting means past the post, means connected to said supporting means and said frame for sliding said frame upon said supporting means, whereby a strand of wire may be stretched by this frame moving upon the supporting frame, although after the wire has been secured in any desired position, said section may be released and swung to an open position, thus allowing the frame to be lifted from the stretched strand of wire.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame comprising parallel b2, said bars being connected at their ends, a supporting arm projecting beyond the connection at one end of said frame, a cross piece formed on the end of said arm, a closed eye formcd on one end of said cross piece, an open eye positioned forwardly of said fran'ie having a movable closure on the opposite end of said cross piece, a supporting means in alincuient with a post and said closed eye, said frame being slidablc upon said supporting means, means connected to said supporting means and to the closed eye of said cross piece for moving said frame upon the supporting means, and a clamping means carried by the forward portions of said frame in alinement with the open eye, whereby a strand of wire may be guided by the open eye and engaged by the clamping means.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AARON A. HANSEW.

Witnesses HYRUM Ric-Ks, J12, ANDR W J. Hansen. 

